Oklahoma City, OKLAHOMA - According to the Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service, today will be potentially a destructive and deadly day with a major severe weather outbreak later this afternoon and into late tonight from Oklahoma to Nebraska.

After some morning-early afternoon storms from northeast Oklahoma to eastern Nebraska, more intense storm development is expected near a surface low in central Nebraska this afternoon and southward along the west edge of the moist/unstable air mass in central Kansas and western/central Oklahoma. The storm environment appears to be very favorable for supercell thunderstorms capable of producing very large hail and damaging tornadoes for long paths from late afternoon until at least midnight.

Even though the storms could remain widely separated, fast-moving tornadoes continuing after dark will heighten the risk to life and property. Some of the larger cities that may be impacted include Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas as well as Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

There is a HIGH RISK with the development of severe thunderstorms later this afternoon and into tonight for central and north central Oklahoma, central and eastern Kansas, and central and eastern Nebraska.

There is a MODERATE RISK surrounding the HIGH RISK from southwestern Oklahoma to far northeastern Nebraska and western Iowa. For both these risk areas, expect destructive tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds.

There is a SLIGHT RISK surrounding the MODERATE RISK from northwest Texas to western Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri with the threat of tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds.

People and businesses in the HIGH and MODERATE RISK areas should be prepared for a significant and widespread severe weather event and to monitor your NOAA Weather Radio and / or your local media outlet for any watches and warnings in your area. Expect Tornado Watches in all of the risk areas.